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Debut Author: The Promise of Rain by Rula Sinara

1. How long did it take for you to sell your first book?

I’ll focus on my first novel, The Promise of Rain, because about two years before embarking on my first romance manuscript, I wrote a short ‘developmental’ children’s book. This was the first time I had entertained the idea of getting published, but I was working in a vacuum. I wasn’t giving it my all. I barely knew how to get on the internet, so I was going on whatever info I could find in The Writer’s and Artist’s Yearbook. I submitted it and one rejection was lengthy, positive and personalized. I had no idea how significant that kind of ‘R’ was, and I got distracted with selling our home, so that book got tucked away. That entire episode took place in a month or two and I don’t really count it.

It wasn’t until late summer in 2008 that I actually sat down to write my first novel, a romance. I had a first draft done in about four months and spent the rest educating myself online. January of 2009 (ish) I joined RWA, discovered eHarlequin.com and by February, submitted my manuscript (I’m too scared to go back and read that version now) for a critique, not an actual submission. But 2009 is when I took writing as a career seriously enough to carve out a home office and put ‘writer’ on my tax forms. And I was prepared to prove to Uncle Sam that I was a writer. I’ve written three total manuscripts, including that first one, but I revised each one extensively multiple times. The Promise of Rain was number three. I began writing the first draft September of 2012 and, after a revision, got The Call May 31, 2013.

2. When did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Boy, that’s a tough one. You see, wanted to be a writer in the career sense, is different than knowing I wanted to write. I’ve always wanted to write and in that vein, I’ve always been a writer. It sounds cliché, but ever since I learned that letters strung together built stories, I became utterly addicted to these varied and colorful worlds that would suck me in between pages for hours. Before I could read or write, my father would plop my younger brother and me on his knees and re-tell the tales he’d heard from his mother. He still is a gifted oral storyteller. But after I learned to write (1st grade-ish), I began keeping journals and weaving my own stories and poems. I loved sitting on our garden wall and writing poetry as the sun set over the ocean. I was a romantic even then. I still have most of those writings tucked away. But, although writing was a part of me, I never entertained the idea of being a writer because I never knew it was a career option. No one had ever asked me if I wanted to be a writer when I grew up. It wasn’t until much later in life, when my kids were born but still young, that I realized I wanted to be a writer. I think sometimes it takes life circumstances and a certain level of experience or maturity to see and have the courage to accept our inner self.

3. What inspired your book?

The Promise of Rain is the culmination of so many experiences and things I’m passionate about, including having lived in North Africa, working with wild animals, a background in science and having a few of what I call ‘National Geographic’ outdoor adventures, it’s hard to pick one inspiration. If you twist my arm into just picking one, I’ll say it was my obsession with African wildlife (I watched too many documentaries to count through high school and college) and the dream I had, growing up, of becoming a wildlife vet and working somewhere like the Serengeti. Although my heroine, Dr. Anna Bekker, isn’t me (no autobiography here folks), her passion for rescuing wildlife comes from my heart and, through her, I got to vicariously experience the career I once dreamed of having.
4. What did you learn after becoming published that you wish you'd known beforehand?

Hmmm. That you really need a way—on paper or on spreadsheet or whatever works for you—of keeping track of the details in your manuscript. Sure, I’d heard that it helps to chart everything down to names and haircolor, but I was so immersed in my manuscript that I couldn’t imagine forgetting the details. Well, things happen really fast after The Call and when it comes time to fill out the AFS (Art Fact Sheet) on your book, you’re going to wish you had all the details at your fingertips. Even for the secondary characters. Everything from age to what last name you finally settled on. Remember, you’ve gotten The Call, you’re elated, nervous, frazzled, running on lack of sleep and adrenaline. You’ll forget things you never imagined, or at least second guess your memory, and trying to flip through notes or pages will suck up time you don’t have. I had sticky notes lying around, but I wish I had a spreadsheet or chart of some sort, and links to ‘images’ of my characters handy. It’s a case of you live, you learn.

5. What is the best piece of writing advice you've ever received?

An answer I don’t have to think about! Study the craft. Plain and simple. Read writing craft books…or articles. I don’t know that anyone told me this directly, but early on, I clued into the fact that there was more to writing a novel than puking my imagination onto paper. Sorry for the imagery there, but really, isn’t that what a lot of first drafts look like? Even those of manuscripts that eventually hit best sellers lists? After finishing the first draft of the first romance I ever attempted, I began researching agents and publishers. That’s when I realized how much work I still had ahead of me. Many agent blogs, writing sites and of course, Harlequin.com’s writing resources and the community forums proved to be fountains of gold. I love research (remember…background in science topped with a bit of OCD) and if there’s a topic I need to understand… Well, let’s just say I’m a craft book junkie. Get recommended books on plot, conflict, character etc… Read them. Take notes. You could read three books on conflict and finally hit one single sentence that makes it all click into place for you. So worth it.

6. If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be?

This is as hard as whittling a 75k manuscript into a three sentence pitch, LOL! And you’re about to see how bad I am at that. Abe Lincoln, Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr., Leonardo DaVinci, Daphne Sheldrick (founder of The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust...much of the research for my book came from reading about their experiences and work with rescuing elephants)…and so many more…but if I have to pick one then, as a celebration of The Promise of Rain’s release, it would be Jane Goodall because she is the one who inspired my love of nature and wildlife at a young age. She was my idol. Dinner with her at this point would bring my life full circle.
7. What are you reading now?

As some of you know, I love doing author interviews and have been doing them on both my blog, A Writer’s Rush, and as a Special Contributor for USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog, for awhile now. Therefore, I’m often found reading an interview author’s latest release, and you’ve caught me between books. The last book I read was Barbara Wallace’s excellent Harlequin Romance, The Man Behind the Mask, and her USA Today HEA interview will be posting in January. I’m just about to start reading Melinda Curtis’ Harlequin Heartwarming, Summer Kisses, for a February HEA interview, and I can’t wait to dig in. I read across the board, and always have a craft book or even a magazine at my fingertips, but now that I have deadlines, the time for ‘free’ reading is harder to come by. But it’s another must for any writer. Free reading is rejuvenating. It allows you to see ‘living’ examples of the craft tips you’ve read about, but it’s also a reminder of the things you love about books. The emotional experience. The ride. A writer needs that reminder. You can’t drink from an empty well and you can’t work in a void.

About the book:
He wants to take her child out of Africa…

The Busara elephant research and rescue camp on Kenya's Serengeti is Anna Bekker's life's work. And it's the last place she thought she'd run into Dr. Jackson Harper. As soon as he sets eyes on her four-year-old, Pippa, Anna knows he'll never leave…without his daughter.

Furious doesn't begin to describe how Jack feels. How could Anna keep this from him? He has to get his child back to the States. Yet as angry as he is with Anna, they still have a bond. But can it endure, despite the ocean—and the little girl—between them?

Jayne, Dream (Oh, Mistress of Christmas Chicken ), and all the moderators...thank you so much for spotlighting me as a debut author. I'm so grateful. And thank you for all you do to make the Harlequin community a fun, warm and welcoming 'watering hole' for readers and writers everywhere. May the best come to all of you in 2014! Happy New Year!

Do you still remember what was said during The Call? I've wondered how much of that Call the authors remember. Bits and pieces? The whole thing word for word? Is a complete blur of excitement and tears?

And thanks on my MoM status. I was surprised. Didn't know you could get it more than once.

Marcie

Community Member of the Month - January 2014Community Member of the Month - September 2012

Thanks, Syndi!!! Already am, since I have great people here to share it with .

Marcie, I do remember The Call, but mostly I remember starting off trying to sound professional and calm, in spite of the excitement, but I'm pretty sure I ended up babbling like a total dork by the end of the call lol.

Congrats, Rula! So proud of you for sticking with your writing and working so hard to spotlight other writers in you HEA blog. You are truly a generous, gracious woman and I know your warmth overflows into your writing. Can't wait to read this book

Jayne! (waving madly back at you ) Ditto what Dream said about our pic. You ALWAYS look so elegant. Loved your look at the RWA ceremony last summer. My pink socks from the party are perfect for typing in my cold office . Be ready to dance! You have orders not to get sick!

Dream - We were 'sold sisters' ! I hope to participate in the Literary signing. You're right. San Antonio will be a whole new experience!

LOL, Marcie. I'm still working on book 2, so things could change with revisions...but for the most part...the main setting of Book 2 may not be quite as wild as book 1 (ie, it's not set on a remote camp), but it still involves characters you meet in Kenya in book 1. Book 3 will go back to being more 'wild' in that it'll be set predominantly in Kenya (at least from my current ideas on it).

All three books revolve around the friends, family and community you meet in The Promise of Rain, and therefore, the settings and scenes will go back and forth between Kenya and Pennsylvania in all three. I love the fact that these characters are joined by friendship and love, despite living on opposite sides of the world and in very different (almost opposite) cultural settings.

I'm so happy with all the new settings coming out in Harlequin books. A few years ago it seemed the only people in the world to fall in love lived in rural areas of about two US states! (Not that I don't still read and love a lot of those books!)

I was lucky to be given a review copy of this one. Now I just need to find the time to finish it.

Sonya, I agree! I love reading books that let me 'travel'. That's partly why I enjoyed Zana Bell's 'super', Tempting the Negotiator, which takes place in New Zealand. I also really intrigued by some of the newer books coming out by Indian authors, set in India.

I do hope you enjoy The Promise of Rain! I'm not a super fast reader like some, so it always takes me time to catch up on my TBR.